Valerie's eyes widened as she gazed at the Æther Pistol, her mind racing with panic. She had never failed to fire a shot before, and the thought of being unable to finally kill her traitorous sister fanned the flames of rage that danced within her.
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Without hesitation, Valerie turned and fled the area, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear Victorine's voice echoing behind her as she melted into the shadows in Aurea Urbis. The "City of Gold" in Chalcrystis had fallen far.
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Valerie didn't dare look back, fearing what she might see. Instead, she focused on putting as much distance between herself and her sister as she could manage. Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she sprinted down a series of dark, cobweb-filled passageways built by sixty-five years' worth of rebels.
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Finally, she spotted a door ahead and burst through it, slamming it shut behind her. She did not recognise the room she had entered.
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Valerie leaned against the door, her back pressed against it as she listened to the sound of footsteps receding into the distance. She gave a raspy exhale and peered around the room, taking stock of her surroundings.
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She found herself in a small storage room filled with dusty crates and forgotten trunks. The air was stale and musty, and Valerie coughed at the thick, carpet-like layer of dust that coated everything. A faint scent of old parchment wafted through the air, making her wrinkle her nose in distaste.
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As she looked around, Valerie noticed that there was another door, one of iron, that was slightly ajar. She pushed it open slowly, revealing a narrow corridor stretching out before her. The walls were lined with cobweb-covered portraits whose occupants had long faded into featureless smears.
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A faint humming noise drew her attention to a nearby lantern hanging from the ceiling. Its soft glow illuminated a brass plaque on the wall nearby. The calligraphy was tasteful. It read:
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"Look behind you, Ms Ego."
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Valerie's heart sank. She obeyed what the plaque said, knowing full well that she had more than likely fallen into a trap.
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There was the sound of a flare being lit – like a match being struck but only louder and more abrasive.
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A bright blue light flooded the room. A man stood there.
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He stands tall, his figure illuminated only by the bright glow of the Flare held aloft in his hand. The room around him is shrouded in darkness, the shadows cast by the flickering light dancing across the room. The mysterious man's attire is a beacon of brightness in such a gloomy m place, his white uniform and gold accents gleaming more than highly-polished brass. His coat, decorated with intricate brass buttons and epaulets, is crossed by a golden sash that wraps around his waist, securing his sword belt in addition to a holster while simultaneously punctuating his frame.
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His face seems to be carved from marble, much like one of those magnificent statues that could be found all over Narciss. His eyes, bright as polished onyx, seemed to scan Valerie as they looked her up and down.
The Flare, a delicate glass cylinder filled with a burning blue liquid that was definitely not standard issue in the Grand Narcissian Army forced Valerie to shield her green eyes under that black hood from the almost painfully bright glow.
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Valerie was irritated to find herself being attracted to him, especially when she knew who and what he was. Grand-General Rainer of the Earl’s 5th Army had managed to corner her – a feat that many of Earl Malum's underlings had failed to come remotely close to achieving – within days of being deployed to Chalcrystis.
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“Well...I have caught thou.” He said in a silvery tenor that would have sounded ridiculous coming from anyone but him.
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“I have noticed.” Valerie said cautiously.
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“Thou art Viscountess Valerie Reine Ego of Chalcrystis, the last child of Earl Preen and Countess Calliope. The cultists would reward me handsomely if I brought thou to them, dead or alive.” He said.
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His eyes seemed sad, and Valerie wondered if there was some internal conflict.
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Valerie knew that what he was saying was correct, but a question eats up her mind: Why has he not done anything yet.
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“I am no cultist, and yet I have gained much from a religion that I do not believe in. I have risen to Grand-General from humble beginnings in a manner that would earm me the respect of even the great Grand-General Worce if he was alive today. And yet, I shalt seek no quarrel with thou even to rise higher, thy reasons for fleeing are understandable. Malum married off Celeste, killed Lrya, and turned Victorine against thou on the orders of Æonex.” He intoned.
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“If thou art not here to capture me, then why art thou?”
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“I have a request, I need someone who does not believe in that faith of the Æbyss nonsense to talk to. And surely a semi-immortal fugitive who has been running from her family for sixty-five years would have a lot of interesting things to say, yes?” he mused.
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“Thou will just let me go?” Valerie asked, green eyes as wide as saucers.
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“Indeed, I may even come to help thou. The year is old, and it shalt be 66 AE before we know it.” Rainer said happily.
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Valerie definitely thought the man was attractive, not that she would tell him that. Instead, she posed a question.
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“Wait a minute...66 AE? I was born in 42 YAP, which makes me...”
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“One hundred years old, yes. I am sure that thou doth not look it under that hood.” He said with a smile as he motioned towards a door.
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“We shalt meet again.” The Grand-General muttered
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Valerie stepped out into the light.
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